Kings and Commoners
by Lillian Amelia Lund
Summary: A young man travels across the ocean just for a fresh start on the continent of Ylisse, but after linking up with an old mercenary and having a run in with the prince of Ylisse and his Shepherds, things quickly spiral out of control. Oh well, gotta make the best of your situation, right?


"Well, here we are, boy. I hope this is what you had in mind when you came to this continent. I hope this is everything you were promised when they told you about Ylisse, because this is certainly not what I was promised. You better summon up your first-born child real quick if you plan to fulfill your end of the deal before we get executed!"

The voice of my bodyguard, Ludwig, echoed off the walls of our dimply lit cell in the Ylissean dungeons. I laid my head back against the wall, quietly sulking to myself. I had sailed to Ylisse from a far away, and mostly deserted, land in hopes of making a life for myself somewhere more prosperous.

Upon my arrival in one of Ylisse's ports, I was overcome with wonder and awe at just how many people there were. Everyone was smiling and working together. I stopped over at the port town's bar, grabbing myself a drink and settling at a table by myself; I figured I needed a little rest after the long voyage across the ocean. I hadn't been seated for more than fifteen minutes when some brigand burst into the bar yelling for everyone to hand over any valuables they had. Surprised and frightened by the brigand, myself and several other patrons started searching our pockets in hopes of appeasing him and keeping our lives.

I noticed an older man with a majestic gray mustache sitting at the corner table, still calmly drinking his ale without a care in the world. The brigand spotted him and stomped over, yelling and cursing at the man while waving his axe around as a scare tactic. The older man's brow furrowed in annoyance a split second before he kicked over the table, sending it flying into the brigand. It didn't do much damage, but the brigand was furious, swinging his axe like a madman. The mustached man dodged every swing like this was his normal routine for a Tuesday, meanwhile the rest of us patrons cowered on the floor in fear. I could hear the man sigh heavily, as if bored with the brigand, before drawing his sword and slicing the unruly bandit in one clean motion. The brigand sputtered a moment before falling to the floor, unmoving. The victor reached down, retrieving the bandit's coin purse and then leaving the tavern, his sword still at the ready.

Fast forward a few hours and the whole town was in a joyous uproar because the man with the mustache had exterminated every last brigand, and on his own no less. The town wished to reward the man for his efforts, but he declined, saying it was time for him to leave town.

I had run after him, begging him to let me travel with him since I was essentially a helpless victim waiting to be preyed upon. He gave me a very firm no, saying he didn't want a burden to weigh him down. I had continued to pester him, promising to give him anything and everything in exchange for him being my bodyguard. He finally gave in, probably out of annoyance, after I promised him my first-born child. I was delighted to travel with him, but he only seemed more stressed out.

Our travels were uneventful right up until a run in with more bandits in Southtown; a small town south of the capital, as the name implies. The bandits weren't the problem though, the problem was the Shepherds that showed up to take care of the bandit problem. From what Ludwig told me later, they were an elite fighting force under the direct command of Ylisse's prince, and unfortunately, they assumed we were bandits as well since Ludwig was armed and running around town with his weapon out. He surrendered and laid down his weapons when asked to do so, at which point we were arrested and our wrists were affixed with shackles.

We were escorted back to Ylisse's capital, which was also called Ylisse, over the course of the next few days. The Shepherds had some kind of battle on the way back, and then an entire forest caught on fire, but Ludwig and I weren't privy to the details, you know, being prisoners and all.

We arrived in the capital, I gawked at anything and everything I could; this was my first time in a city like this and I was astounded by its size and grandeur. Unfortunately, I wasn't allowed to stop and look at anything. They hurried us on towards the palace, and of course, into the dungeon.

And now here we sat, with me wondering what our fate would be, and Ludwig reassuring me that they'd hang me with a fancy rope.

I lost count of how many hours passed before someone came for us, and oh joy, it was the Prince of Ylisse and his dark robed sidekick, Robin was her name I think. I remained in my seat on the cot in the corner, sinking deeper into my white hood and robe. Ludwig stood near the bars of our cell, his arms crossed defiantly as he glared at the prince.

"Well? What's the verdict? Will you be hanging us now, or does that come after long hours of torture?" Ludwig spat.

"Easy, friend. No need to be so hostile. I'm Chrom, the prince of Ylisse, and this is Robin, my tactician." Chrom said.

"I know who you are, prince. It doesn't matter who you are, what matters is that you've wrongfully imprisoned us and wasted far too much of our time." Ludwig was starting to lose his temper. "Now if you're going to kill us then get on with it already!"

"Please! We have no intention of hurting you, and yes, we have realized that you're not a bandit after doing some research. So please, just calm yourself and talk with us." Chrom said.

"Ugh, fine. What could you possibly want from us though?"

Chrom said nothing and merely looked to Robin who stepped forward.

"Ludwig the Hunter. A notable Valmese knight who left the service of his empire to wander the world as a mercenary, managing to wipe out several notable bandit gangs and minor cults all by himself. In all his time as a mercenary, he has never once had a partner or ally. Last seen on the eastern coast of Ylisse." She smirked. "So, what brought you to Southtown? And who's the guy in the hood back there?"

"He's just some kid that followed me despite my insistence that he leave me alone." He snarled. "And I had no specific reason to be in Southtown. I'm a wanderer. It's what I do."

Robin shrugged. "Well, I suppose it doesn't matter. However, your reputation precedes you, and your skill does seem to be just as the rumors say. What say you join up with us, hmm?"

"Hah! Insolent child. What kind of fool do you take me for? I'm doing just fine on my own, thank you."

"Well, the alternative would see you at the gallows in the morning, accused of attacking Ylisse's prince in Southtown." Robin drawled.

"What? But-" Chrom started to speak, but quickly shut his mouth upon seeing the withering glare Robin was sending his way.

Ludwig stroked his moustache slowly, thinking about his options carefully. He looked back at me.

"What do you think, boy?"

I was surprised that he'd ask my opinion, as up to this point he'd done nothing but refuse my ideas and tell me to be quiet.

"Ah? Uh, well…" I scratched the back of my head. "I'd say living is better than dying, so…I guess I'd say it's be best to join up with them."

Ludwig nodded. "Well, that settles that then. I guess we're going with you guys. Doesn't mean we have to like it though."

"Ahah, we? I believe I extended that invitation to you exclusively, Ludwig. We have no use for the other guy." She looked over at me. "Sorry, kid. It's nothing personal. The Shepherds just don't really need you."

My shoulders slumped. I wasn't really put out by the fact that they didn't need me, but more because I dreaded my future. I'd be thrown onto the street with absolutely no idea where to go, what to do, and how I could get my life started in this foreign land.

"Well, you heard the lady. But hey, at least you're not going to your death. You've still got your whole life ahead of you." Ludwig was trying to reassure me, and it helped a little, but not enough.

Robin unlocked our cell and ushered us out, guiding us up out of the dungeon and back onto the main street extending from the palace into the city proper. It was night out, meaning we'd spent an entire day in that dingy cell. So much of our time had been wasted by this whole ordeal.

I suddenly realized Chrom had been oddly quiet ever since Robin took over negotiation. I snuck a glance at him, only to find him glancing at Robin as if he wanted to say something. I sighed. It was none of my business what he wanted to say at this point.

We stopped on the main road, rather abruptly I might add.

"Well, Chrom, Ludwig and I are headed this way. So, it's time you separate from us." Robin said, looking at me over her shoulder. "Keep a stiff upper lip, kiddo."

She started walking away, waving to me with her back turned. Chrom followed after her, sparing me a quick glance and an encouraging nod as he passed. Ludwig clapped me on the shoulder.

"I didn't know you for very long, boy, and I honestly didn't like you at all for the extent of our travels together, as short as they were. But now's a chance for you to start fresh in the big city and open a business or something." He chuckled. "Trust me, you don't wanna end up an old soldier with no home like me. There's no future in being a warrior."

He gave me a small smile and then took off after Chrom and Robin. I lowered my hood and ran a hand through my admittedly unkept purple hair. It's not like I was really aching to help Chrom and Robin with…whatever they recruited Ludwig for, but it would have been nice to feel needed, especially by someone as important as a prince. There was no use agonizing over it now, I'd just find some other way to make myself useful to the people in this city.

I was just about to make my way to the nearest inn when I realized…I had no idea where to find the inn. And in a city this large I'd only get lost if I went wandering around aimlessly. I mentally kicked myself for not asking for directions before those three left. And with it being as late as it was, there wasn't a single person on the street that I could ask. I resigned myself to my fate of most likely sleeping in an alleyway and started wandering the streets, looking for any sign of an inn. I walked for quite some time, but my search ended up being worthless; the best I'd found was an alleyway that wasn't completely filled with vermin, and given my circumstances, I settled in the alley and put my back to the wall, closing my eyes.

"You look to be a little lost there, friend." A voice spoke.

My eyes snapped back open to see a man standing just outside the alleyway, staring down at me with a kind but pitying expression.

"Yeah, I'd say that's about right. But uh, if you don't mind, I'm trying to get some sleep in my nice, dank alley, sooo…." I was trying to subtly get him to leave, because even though he didn't seem to be suspicious, it never hurts to be cautious.

"Haha, aww, come on. Just chat with me for a little while, okay?" Without waiting for my invitation, he sat down next to me. "Are you a foreigner?"

"Yes, I am. I just got into town this morning." I inwardly groaned. I didn't wanna talk, but it was probably the fastest way to get rid of him.

"Cool. I figured you were foreign because of your accent, ya know?" He scratched the ragged stubble on his chin.

 _Good work, detective._

"But anyway, what I really wanted to ask you about was what someone told me they saw this morning. They said a couple of guys were shackled and being escorted by the Shepherds. And you just so happen to fit the description of one of those guys."

He was looking at me expectantly, so I rolled my eyes and obliged his curiosity.

"Me and my companion were arrested in Southtown because of a misunderstanding, and then dragged us all the way up here to lock us up before saying it was a mistake and letting us go."

"Where's your companion then?" He asked, suddenly very interested in what I had to say.

"Um, he got hired to be a Shepherd from what I understood."

"And they didn't hire you along with your companion?" He was a little over the top with how much surprise and shock he put into his voice, causing me to roll my eyes again.

"No, the tactician girl said they didn't need someone like me, so they more or less kicked me onto the street to fend for myself." I looked at him with half lidded eyes and raised eyebrows. "Satisfied now?"

"Haha, I can sense that I'm not particularly wanted. I apologize, but I do have one more question…maybe two, come to think of it."

"Alright, lay it on me. What do you wanna know?" I was painfully aware of how whiny my voice sounded.

"Well, you see, the Shepherds aren't as virtuous as they make themselves out to be, in fact, they were founded by the pervious Exalt who was a villainous and warmongering man. He invaded Plegia and slaughtered thousands of people in his pursuit of power, and his son is no different."

"I'm…sorry. I'm assuming the son you mentioned is Chrom, yes? But…what's Plegia?" I felt really dumb asking what seemed to be an obvious question.

"Ah, right. You're a foreigner. Plegia is Ylisse's neighbor to the west. It's a barren wasteland of a country." He explained quickly. "But anyway, the bloodline of the Exalt is corrupt, and my employer wishes to cleanse it, and in doing so, create a strong and lasting relationship between Ylisse and Plegia."

"Okay, so what's your question for me then? As far as I can tell, I have nothing to do with any of that." He was feeding me an awful lot of information that was a bit confusing to follow.

"Ah, yes, you have a tie to someone within the Shepherds; your friend that they recruited. And because of that, my employer would like your help in accomplishing his goals. So, what do you say?"

My brow slowly furrowed. "You're…offering me a job?"

"To put it simply, yes. A long-term employment for an indeterminate amount of time. And all we would need you to do is gather specific information from your friend, and then give it to us."

This was sounding extremely shady, even if what he had said was true, I don't know how I felt about doing something so underhanded. Besides, I didn't know for sure if what he'd told me about the Exalt and Chrom and all had been the truth. For all I knew it was just one big lie and he was trying to swindle me out of everything I owned.

"You'll be paid handsomely for your cooperation." He said in a sing-song kind of tone.

 _On second thought, it could be worth a shot. Even if he's trying to swindle me, it's not like I have much for him to take._

"I accept your offer."

"Excellent! Now then…" I cut him off.

"However! There's no guarantee that my former companion will tell me anything. He and I weren't together for very long, and I don't know how dedicated he is to his new group, so I can't really promise anything for sure."

"That's not a problem, we have no issue with that." He waved away my words. "Even if you can't do that, we'll find another job for you. I'm sure you've got a hidden talent for something."

Even if he was shady and somewhat untrustworthy, he was nicer than Robin at the very least. And to me, that counted for something. I did consider the fact that it was very possible he was just saying things like that to string me along and get me to trust him, but at the time it didn't matter to me. For one, he'd been kind to me, which is more than most everyone else had done. And two, by accepting his offer, I'd have a source of income that I desperately needed.

"Well then, now that that's all settled, we should get moving." He stood up, brushed his pants off, and offered me a hand. I took his hand and he pulled me to my feet.

"Uh, where are we going?" I asked, confused.

"Oh, we're going to meet your new employer; he's waiting in the tavern just down the street."

He started out of the alleyway, looking in both directions before fully stepping out. I stood there for a moment, surprised. I hadn't expected whoever this employer was to be in the city, or so nearby for that matter. I snapped out my stupor and ran to catch up with my new acquaintance.

"W-wait! He's waiting for us?" I asked.

"Yeah, he fully expected you to take the offer so he figured he'd wait for us so he can get all of the official paperwork out of the way as soon as possible. But don't worry, it's just a basic contract, no strings attached to it. He'll go over it with you and have you sign it, you know, all that good stuff."

I was starting to get nervous. "B-but…how did you guys even know I'd be here? How do you guys even know about me? I'm a nobody that just sailed in a few weeks ago!"

He laughed. "It's simple, some of our scouts were actually in the Southtown area while you were there. They saw you two get arrested, and were pretty sure you weren't bandits, so we took a chance and headed over to wait and see what would happen. Fortunately, they released you and we didn't end up wasting any time or resources with this endeavor."

 _Scouts? Just who did I sign up to join? I mean, from what this guy said, they have some pretty lofty goals, so I guess it makes sense that they'd be a big name of some kind. But still…_

We walked the rest of the way in relative silence, with my escort occasionally glancing back at me and chuckling to himself. It made me pretty uneasy to say the least, and I fully intended to ask him what was so funny…but maybe just not when we were completely alone in the dead of night.

We reached a very quaint looking tavern and he opened the door, gesturing for me to enter first. The inside was a little…dingy. It was the kind of place criminals went to do illegal business in full sight of other patrons and not get reported or arrested. This was made more evident by people in hoods either talking heatedly with each other about how to go about committing a crime or passing illegal goods to each other over the table. In return for running this kind of establishment, I saw a few different patrons leaving stuffed coin purses on their tables for the bartender to collect at his leisure.

"Well? Don't just stand there, get over here!" A voice hollered from my right.

The voice in question belonged to a man in a cloak sitting alone at a table. And from his tone I could tell he wasn't very patient, at least at the moment. I hurried over and took a seat across from him. With his hood up, I couldn't see his face very well. Just a thin bit of facial hair on his chin.

"You're him, yes? The young man that was arrested in Southtown?" He asked.

"Y-yes, that's correct." It was then I realized my escort from before hadn't followed me in. "But, how did you know I was the one you were waiting for?"

"I really didn't. You're the fourth person I've called over to this table. I've just been calling out to everyone that walks in." He began to smile as he said this.

He reached into his cloak and pulled out a scroll, laid it on the table, and unrolled it before turning it in my direction.

"This is your contract. It states the specific job you'll have, the compensation to be received for it, and also that you'll be loyal to the crown in every way, shape, and form, even should your life be threatened." He pulled out a quill and inkwell, setting them next to the scroll. "Of course, it also states that the job to be performed is subject to change at my discretion, and that the compensation could just as well change."

I had been reaching for the quill, but now stopped.

"Hold on, if my 'compensation' can be changed whenever you feel like it, then wouldn't it be well within your power to simply deprive me of any form of payment once I've signed this contract?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Ahahaha! You're a quick one. Quicker than most people that I go through this with." He allowed himself a good chuckle before continuing. "With that being the case…"

He grabbed the quill himself, dipped it in ink, and then crossed out a small section of the contract.

"Aaaaand that should do it. Now we can just mutually agree that your payment will only change if agreed upon by both parties. Acceptable?"

I nodded slowly as I read through the contract, making sure there were no other tricks.

 _Pft, and that escort said there would be no strings attached. I'll have to keep my eyes peeled from this point forward._

He held the quill out to me, wiggling it slightly. "Come ooonn. Take it."

Heeding his words, I took the pen from him and signed my name as elegantly as I could. The moment I was finished writing, he snatched the pen and scroll from me, stowing the quill back in his cloak before surveying the newly signed paper.

"Valter, is it? Your name's a bit…abnormal, isn't it?"

"Well, I did come from an entirely different continent, so that's to be expected I'd say." I crossed my arms defensively.

He shrugged. "Eh, when you're right, you're right. No complaints here. Welcome aboard our slowly sinking ship, Valter!" An enthusiastic, almost crazed, smile danced on his face as he stood and extended a hand to me.

I stood as well, politely shaking his hand. His smile was unnerving me though, and I think he knew it.

"So, what should I be doing first then? I'd like to get to work as soon as possible. Mostly because I'm running a little low on currency."

"Oof, straight to the point and honest. I can't say I'm overly fond of that second trait, but we'll fix that in time." He laughed again. "First thing's first. Can you handle a weapon?"

"A weapon? Well, I know the basics of handling a sword, but not much beyond that." I looked away embarrassedly. Technically, I should have been a master of the sword by now with how intense my teacher was in his training, but I'd kinda not payed a lot of attention to his lesson and didn't really practice at all outside of class.

"Good enough for me! I know Vasto out there told you you'd be siphoning precious info from that wretched exalted princeling, but plans are changing! You're coming back to the capital with me." He looked me up and down. "We've gotta fashion you into an entirely different person in a rather short time…Hmmm…"

"Wait, the capital? I thought this was the capital. And why do I have to be fashioned into someone else?"

"Hahaha, this is the capital, yes, but only of Ylisse. We're headed to the capital of Plegia, my boy! And as for your second question, you'll find out when we get there. This is hardly the place to state such things."

He gave the tavern a once over with a disgusted expression before shaking his head and gesturing for me to follow him. We walked outside where Vasto had been dutifully leaning against the wall of the tavern, although he couldn't have been there the whole time seeing as he now wore a cloak of his own that he hadn't had during the time I'd been with him.

A single nod from my new boss and Vasto thrust something into my hands; an iron sword and the accompanying belts for it. Vasto and the boss didn't skip a beat and kept walking. I threw my new belt on as quickly as I could while also trying to keep up with their pace.

"Come on, pick it up, kid. We've gotta get out of the city before we're seen and recognized."

Vasto's gaze continually wandered, looking in every direction he could. He'd whisper in the boss' ear every so often, although it was too quiet for me to actually hear what was being said. We left the city, walking a fair distance from the nearest residence before stopping. Vasto pulled a single match from his pocket and lit it, raising it high into the air. He held it there until it finally burned out. He dropped it, crushed it beneath his boot, and dug his hands into his pocket, all the while still keeping a vigilant gaze on our surroundings.

We stood there for what felt like a long time, and even though I really wanted to ask what we were doing, I was sure to be told to shut up. So, I kept my mouth closed and waited patiently for…whatever it was we were waiting for. And it wasn't long before I found out what 'it' was. Three wyverns arrived, landing relatively silently in front of us, although only one wyvern was currently occupied and the other two were unmanned, and presumably had been led by the rider of the one.

No words were exchanged as the boss ran over and mounted one of the wyverns, and Vasto dragged me over to the other one, hoisting me up before climbing up himself to take the reins. A quick snap of the reins and all three wyverns were climbing high into the sky.

Personally, this was my first time riding a wyvern, and to say I was terrified would be an understatement. I'd never done well with heights to begin with, but to be moving at such high speeds _and_ being so high up…well, it wasn't pleasant for me. I clung to Vasto as tightly as I could, much to his annoyance, and kept my eyes screwed shut the entire ride.

* * *

When we finally landed a number of hours later, I had just begun to open my eyes when Vasto shoved me, making me fall to the ground rather unceremoniously. I picked myself up, dusted myself off, and took a good look around. Morning had broken at some point while we were flying, and the sun was giving me a nice first look at Plegia, and Vasto's description had been spot on; a barren wasteland. Aside from all the sand and dead trees, there were two things that really caught my eye. First and foremost was the castle, or fortress, that we had landed next to, and second was the enormous set of bones that could be seen in the distance. I'd never seen or heard of any creature reaching the size of whatever that thing had been. It's long snake-like structure ended with a mouth full of sharp and jagged teeth, and two sets of three eye sockets. Just imagining what it might have looked like as a living, breathing creature gave me shivers.

"Here we are, kid! Isn't it just the most wondrous sight you've ever seen?" The boss threw one arm around me and made a long, sweeping motion with his other arm as if to show off the Plegian countryside.

I gave him a quick sideways glance, wondering if he was being serious, because to be honest, I wasn't a huge fan of the sight before me.

"Um, it's…it's not terrible?" My statement ended up sounding more like a question.

He laughed heartily and retracted his arm from around me.

"You're not the only one that hates it, and please, there's no need to be reserved about your opinions with me. Nothing you could say about this country would offend me." He took a moment to remove his cloak, which gave me my first real look at my employer.

He was a tall man with messy red hair and an extremely gaudy outfit. It made me cringe slightly just looking at the whole ensemble.

"Now then, I suppose it's time for introductions, isn't it?" He gave me a wide smile. "The name's Gangrel, but most people just call me The Mad King of Plegia. You can call me whatever you'd like, bucko!"

My eyes widened in surprise. "D-did you say 'king'? You're the king of Plegia?!" I dropped to my knees instantly. "I apologize for any disrespect I've shown you, your highness!"

"Ugh, kid, it's not that I mind people groveling at my feet, but I think it's pretty unbecoming of you to do so simply because I'm a king of a dead nation. So get up. There's no need to be so formal with me." He said, hands on his hips.

I rose to my feet, still feeling a bit sheepish about the whole situation and regretting all the times I'd been even slightly rude to him. Gangrel snapped and made a strange gesture, to which Vasto responded by attaching a lead to one wyvern, mounting the other, and then flying off alongside the other rider. This left me completely alone with Gangrel.

"Let's walk and talk, shall we?" He started towards the castle, which I now realized was his royal castle. I walked beside him. "I first had Vasto approach you because I had hoped you could get sensitive information from the Shepherds through that old man you'd been with, but after finding out that you weren't from this continent, or even the neighboring continent of Valm for that matter, I thought of an even more delectable plan. But before I lay out the plan for you, are you willing to participate in my political schemes to the best of your abilities?"

"Um, yes? I can't say I'd be very good as a political figure of any kind, but I guess I wouldn't mind it."

"Very good! Because you would have been participating regardless of your answer anyway."

 _I should have expected as much._

"Now here's the deal, sparky. We're gonna get you trained and educated properly so that you can travel to Ylisse as Plegia's ambassador, but more than that, I'll also need you to play the part of Plegia's crown prince."

"W-w-what?! T-that's…I mean, what do you mean by 'crown prince'?!" I stuttered out. A small smirk creeped onto his face.

"It means exactly what it sounds like. I have no children, and no heir to the throne. We're going to play like you're my only child and I've been hiding your existence from the world for these last…uh, how old are you?"

"Nineteen."

"Right, I've been hiding you for the last nineteen years to avoid having you targeted by the Ylisseans. After all, their previous Exalt was a bloodthirsty beast that didn't croak until fifteen years ago. And now that I feel conditions are safe enough, I'll have my precious son travel to Ylisse in hopes of strengthening ties." He took a deep breath. "What do you think? Genius, isn't it?"

It was certainly something, that was for sure. I'd only just arrived on this continent a couple of weeks ago, and now I'd somehow been elevated to being a prince! It felt so surreal, like I was just dreaming it all up and I'd soon wake up in that alley back in Ylisse.

"W-well, it's very interesting to say the least, and I don't think I have any particular right to refuse you at this point, but I have to ask; why me?"

"You were chosen for the simple reason that no one is going to recognize you, kid. No one knows who you are, and without knowing who you are, they won't be able to argue against you being my child." Gangrel stopped walking, which in turn made me stop abruptly. "But let's put all that messy talk aside for now, we've reached your stop."

I cocked my head to the side. "My…stop?" I wasn't quite sure what he meant.

He very simply reached out and pushed open a door near us.

"There should be clothes in there that are more befitting of a Plegian prince than those rags you have on. And your education will begin immediately; I've asked my chief tactician and his assistant to teach you everything they can in a month's time."

I nodded mutely, acknowledging his words. I'd have to keep myself focused if I really wanted to learn anything. I'd never really been one to pay attention to classes and such, napping through lessons was more my speed.

"Buuuuuuttt, to strengthen the illusion, even for those within the castle, I'll be teaching you the sword as well as the things you need to know about the Ylissean royals and other self-proclaimed 'important' people in Ylisse." He smiled a wicked smile. "Okay, son?"

"Yes, father." I knew what he wanted so it seemed best just to humor him.

He laughed loudly. "Whew, alright then. You go ahead and get yourself ready. Meanwhile, I'll be attending to my kingly duties. Bye bye! Talk to you later, kiddo!"

Gangrel walked away, chuckling to himself and whispering under his breath. I shook my head. Just what had I gotten myself into.

I entered my room and closed the door behind me before falling face first onto the bed. I took a little time evaluating my situation here. Somehow, I'd gone from being a worthless vagabond to being the crown prince of Plegia all in the course of the couple of weeks I'd been on this continent. And to top that off, there was obvious friction between Plegia and Ylisse, and even though I didn't know enough about the situation to decide which nation was at fault here, I now found myself aiding Plegia. I smiled a little. Regardless of the circumstances, it would be interesting to see how all of this ended up playing out. When Gangrel announces my existence, would anyone actually buy it? Would I really be able to strengthen ties with Ylisse? My common sense was telling me not a chance.

All in all, whether for better or for worse, this was more than I could have imagined getting out of my fresh start.

* * *

 **A/N: So…I'm not exactly sure where this came from. I was digging through some old files and writings on my computer, and I found this tucked away as 'untitled Awakening project v2'. So, I decided to upload it and see if anyone likes it, and if they do I might continue it, and if not, then that's whatever.**

 **So, thanks for reading! Let me know what you thought and whether I should keep going with this story or not.**

 **Farvel!**


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